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Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

G. B. vWEBB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

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G.-B. WEBB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 470,273. Patented Mar. 8', 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC Y GEORGE B. 'WEBB, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR TO THE REMINGTON STANDARD TYPE WRITER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFSAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ne. 470,273, dated March 8,1892.

Application filed June 20,1891. Serial No. 396.901. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. WEBB, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-WVriting- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its main object to provide means for shifting theinking-ribbon laterally or widthwise at the time the travel of theribbon lengthwise is reversed for the purpose of bringing into use a newor fresh portion of the ribbon and preventing the 'heedless operatorfrom using any one portion or field of the ribbon for an'undue length oftime, to the detriment of the ribbon and the quality of the work beingdone.

To these ends my invention consists in the features of construction andcombinations of devices hereinafter more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. v i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much ofa type writing machine as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig.2 is a horizontal section taken at the line at a: of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is asimilar section with the parts shifted to cause the ribbon to travel ina direction the reverse of that it is shown as moving in at Fig. 1, andto also cause a different or fresh portion to travel across theprinting-point. Fig.4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken at theline y y of Fig. 1 to more clearly show the construction of some of thenew parts, andFig. 5 is a vertical section taken at the line .2 2 ofFig. 3.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the samenumeral of reference.

The machine illustrated in part in the accompanying drawings is thatknown as the Remington type-writer, to which my improvements areespecially applicable. In said machine the inking-ribbon is wound stepby step from one spool or bobbin onto the other by means of thecarriage-driving power, a main shaft, two counter-spool-shafts, andthree sets of bevel-gears, and the construcslide, and said slides areconnected together,

so as to move in unison by means of rockerarms and a rock-shaft. By thisconstruction the ribbon is adapted to be moved by hand transversely orin the direction of its width, so that the entire surface of said ribbonmay from time to time travel in register with the printing-point and beutilized, thus preserving the form and life of the ribbon and conducin gto greater uniformity in the character of the impressions. Althoughprovision is thus made in 'the Remington machine for moving the ribbonwidthwise, the fact is that many operators pay insuflicient attention tothe means for shifting the ribbon transversely and continue an unduelength of time to use the ribbon along a single line, with the resultthat the ribbon soon loses its shape and becomes prematurely Worn anduseless.

By my present invention I have so connected together the means forreversing the longitudinal movements of the ribbon with the means forshifting the ribbon transversely that at every second reversal of thelongitudinal travel of the ribbon the ribbon is at the same time or bythe same movement automatically shifted widthwise to bring into use afresh portion of the surface, and hence the necessity for care orattention on the part of the operator so far as any shifting of theribbon widthwise is concerned is wholly eliminated. v

1 designates the top plate of the machine, and 2 the frame-Work.

'3 is the spring driving drum or disk, to which is attached one end ofastrap at, whose other end is connected to some part of thepaper-carriage, as indicated at 5. Axially of v the shaft of the drum isarranged a bevelwheel 6, which carries a ratchet-wheel 7, adapted to beacted upon by a driving-pawl S, pivoted to the drum, the constructionbein g such, as heretofore, that when the carriage travels from right toleft the said pawl turns said ratchet=wheel and bevelgear with the drum,and when the carriage travels from left to rightthe pawl slips idly orvinoperatively over the ratchetavheel and the latter and the bevel-gear6 remain stationary.

The bevel-gear 6 is always in engagement with a bevel-gear 9, sleeved onthe main shaft 10, which is adapted to turn in hearings in theframe-work. At the right-hand end of said shaft is securedabevel-gear11,which is adapted to mesh with a bevel-gear 12 on therighthand spool-shaft 13, which is mounted to rotate in hearings in theframe-work. On the shaft issccu red another bevel-gear 14,which isadapted to engage with a bevel-gear 15 on the left-hand spool-shaft 16,which is also mounted to rotate in hearings in the framework. Aribbon-spool 17 is splined on the shaft 13, and a similar spool 18 issplined on the shaft 16. A wire frame 1.) is bent to embrace each spooland to form a guide and sup port for the ribbon. The ends of the wireframe 19 on the right are riveted to a sliding bar 20, and the ends ofthe wire frame on the left are riveted to a sliding bar 21. The saidbars are formed with slots 22 for the passage of supporting-screws 23,and said bars are connected together to move in unison by a transverserock-shaft 2-1 and rocker-arms 25, one at each end of the rock-shaft.

The rearmost slot of the sliding bar 21 is slightly wider than theothers and embraces a depending pin 26, fixed to the top plate andprovided with a shoulder to support said bar. 011 said pin is pivoted asupport or switch 27, which is held from falling by the head of avertical screw 23, whose shank engages a threaded hole in the pin. Thesaid support is formed with a lateral projection 29, to which isattached by a screw a bifurcated arm 31,whieh straddles acircumferential groove 32, formed in the-main shaft, and the saidsupport 27 is beveled or chamfered to provide a nose or projection 33,as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 4, with which co-operates a flat spring34, attached to the frame-work at and provided with two corrugations 3dand 37, adapted each to fit. over said nose and hold the support 27 ineither of the two positions which it may be moved to. Upon said supportis pivoted at 38 a duplex driving-pawl, one end 39 of which is adaptedto coact with a rack 40 011 the slide 21 and the other end 4:] of whichis adapted to co-operate with another rack 42, also on said slide, butwith its teeth out or formed in a direction the reverse of those of therack 10. The duplex pawlis cut away or notched at its inner edge to formtwo shoulders 43 and 44, one on either side of the pivot or center ofmotion of the pawl, and with these shoulders is adapted to engage theupwardly-extending end 45 of a trip piece or shifter 46, which is curvedto pass around the pivot-pin26 on one side, and which at its inner endis E-shaped or formed with three fiat prongs or forks 47, 1-8, and 49,the forks 47 and 49 being fitted loosely in under-cuts or grooves 50 and51 in elevated portions 52 of the support, and the middle fork 48 beingformed with an upturned end 53, against which bears the free end of avertically-arranged flat spring 54, secured to the support by a screw55. Be tween the racks 40 and 42 are formed two shoulders 56 and 57,adapted to contact alternately with the projection 45 and assistinshifting it from one side of the pivot of the duplex pawl to the otherto enable the said trip-piece to first hold the pawl end 39 inengagement with its rack and then to hold the pawl end 41. in engagementwith its rack,and so on alternately. The support is provided withahandle 5S, and the main shaft is also provided with a handle 59, byeither of which the longitudinal and transverse movements of the ribbon60 may be effected. Engaging with the rack L2 is a spring-cheek 61 toprevent any overthrow of the slide 21 or any accidental movementthereof.

By the construction described the slide 21, which is connected to bothribbon-spools, is coupled to the main shaft and in a manner such thatwhen said shaft is moved endwise to reverse the direction of movement ofthe ribbon longitudinally said slide is caused to move at right anglesto the axis of said shaft and through its connections move the ribbonwidthwise.

By means of the double pawl and rack, the trip-piece, and the vibratorysupport or switch the slide is caused to move back and forth and impartastep-by-step reciprocatory move-. ment to the ribbon widthwisc, thelongitudinal movements of the ribbon being effected by the gearingemployed heretofore.

From what has been said above the following explanation of the mode ofoperation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to Fig. 2, the set of miter-gears 14 and 15 are in engagement,and by the rotation of the main shaft 10 the counter-spoolshaft 16 isturned, and with it the spool 18, in a direction to wind the ribbonthereupon, and from right toleft. \Vhen the ribbon has been thus whollyunwound from the spool 17, it may be reversed or set to wind back uponsaid spool by an endwise push on said shaft 10 to cause the gears 14:and 15 to disengage and the set of gears li and 12 to mesh with eachother. During the said movement of said shaft the support or switch 27is vibrated by reason of the connecting-arm 31. In this view, Fig. 2,the ribbon is shown at the limit of its forward transverse throw, and atthe next endwise movement of the shaft 10 (to engage the gears 11 and12) the pawl 30 is withdrawn from its rack 40 and the pawl 41 moved intoengagement with its rack. This is accomplished by the spring-actuatedtrip 16, which, on account of the contact of the stop or shoulde' 56 andthe projection 45,

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prevented at this time from moving bodily with the support or switch 27,and as the latter is moved in the direction of the arrow the pivot ofthe duplex pawl is carried with it, and when the center of said pivothas moved past the projection 45 the trip-piece 46 is left free to beswung over independently by the spring 54, (which moves with thesupport, as indicated,) so that its projection 45 may engage theshoulder 44 of the duplex pawl and vibrate the latter about its pivot,so as to throw the pawl 39 out of engagement and the pawl 42 intoengagement, as shown at Fig. 3. \Vhen this has taken place, the ribbonis caused to move transversely rearwardly at every second reversal ofthe longitudinal motion of the ribbon. In practice I have thus far movedthe ribbon crosswise step by step four times each way; but of coursethis number may be varied to suit the desires of the manufacturerbyincreasing or diminishing the number of teeth of the racks and 42 andthe distance apart of the stops, as shoulders 56 and 57.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the shaft 10 has been movedendwise and that the gears 11 and 12 are in engagement to wind theribbon lengthwise from the spool 18 to the spool 17, and also that thepawl 41 is in engagement with the rack 42. WVhen the spool 17 has beenfilled and it is desired to reverse the direction of movement again ofthe ribbon, the shaft 10 is moved endwise to disconnect the gears 11 and12 and engage the gears 14 and 15, and at the same time the support orswitch 27 is vibrated'in the direction of the arrow and the pawl 41caused to engage another tooth of its rack, so that when the main shaftand the support or switch are again moved in the reverse direction thesaid pawl carried by the latter may push the slide 21 the distance ofone tooth' rearwardly and through the described connections move theinking-ribbon a like distance in the same direction; The slide 21, bymeans of the rack 42 and pawl 41, is thus moved rearwardlyintermittently (say four times) until the stop or shoulder 57 on saidslide contacts with said projection 45, when a vibration of the switch27 in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 3 will carry the center of thepawl-pivot past the said projection and allow the trip-piece 46 to bevibrated by its spring to throw the projection against the shoulder 43to disengage the pawl 41 and engage the pawl 39 with the outermost orfront tooth of the rack 40. Then as the shaft 40 are in engagement, theribbon is moved toward the front whenever the main shaft is moved towardthe left, and when the pawl 41 and rack 42 are in engagement the ribbonis moved toward the rear whenever the main shaft is moved toward theright.

The corrugation 36 engages the nose 33 when the switch is in theposition shown at Fig. 2, and the corrugation 37 embraces the nose 33when the switch is in the position shown at Fig. 3, and by thisconstruction the switch and its accessories are properly held againstaccidental movement while the writing is taking place.

Instead of connecting both spools to travel in unison, they may bedisconnected and the spool 18 only made capable of a sliding movement onits shaft. In this arrangement the ribbon, instead of moving bodilyforward and backward, will have a vibratory motion, and the rock-shaft24, the rocker-arm 25, and the slide 20 may be dispensed with.

In lieu of the duplex rack and duplex pawl, a single rack and pawl maybe employed where it is desired to have the ribbon move step by stepwidthwise in only one direction, or where some other means, as a spring,may be desired to move it in the opposite direction, and it will beunderstood that numerous other changes in detail construction may bemade without departing from the gist of my invention.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the driving-power,of a main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven bysaid main shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning'with their shaftsand also of sliding endwise of the same, an inkingribbon, a pair ofslides connected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, andconnections, substantially as described, between one of said slides andthe main shaft, whereby the endwise movements of said shaft may betransmitted to said slide and the ribbon moved transversely or in thedirection of its width.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion, with the driving-power,of a main shaft connected thereto and capable of endwise movements, twospool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven by said main shaft, tworibbon-spools capable of turning with their shafts and also of slidingendwise of the same, an inking-ribbon, a pair of slides connected toeach other and to the ribbon-spools, a rack on one of said slides, apawl for engaging said rack, and a switch carrying said pawl andconnected to the reciprocatory main shaft.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the driving-power,of a main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven bysaid main shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shaftsand also of sliding endwise of the same, an inking-ribbon, a pair ofslides connected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, a duplex rackon oneof said slides, a duplex pawl for driving said racks, and a switchcarrying said duplex pawl and connected to the main shaft.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the driving-power,of a main shaft,

two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven by said main shaft,two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shafts and also ofsliding endwise of the same, an inking-ribbon, a pair of slidesconnected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, a duplex rack on oneof said slides, stops or shoulders on said slide, a duplex pawl fordriving said racks, a switch carrying said duplex pawl and connected tothe main shaft, and a spring-acttr ated shifter for said duplex pawl.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the driving-power, ofa main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven by saidmain shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shafts andalso of sliding endwise of the same, an inkingribbon, a pairof slidesconnected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, two racks on one ofsaid slides, stops or shoulders on said slide, a duplex pawl for drivingsaid racks, a switch carrying said pawls and connected to the mainshaft, and means, substantially as described, for ttlltOllltltlOZtllYmoving said pawls alternately into and out of engagement with theirracks.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combinati0n,with the driving-power, ofa main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven by saidmain shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shafts andalso of sliding endwise of the same, an inkingribbon, a pair of slidesconnected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, two racks on one ofsaid slides, stops or shoulders on said slide, a duplex pawl, and aswitch carrying said pawls and also a vibratory spring-actm ated shifterand connected to said main shaft.

7, In a type-writing machine, the combina' tion, with the driving-power,of a main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven bysaid main shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shaftsand also of sliding endwise of the same, an inking ribbon, a pair ofslides connected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, two racks onone of said slides, a duplex pawl, a switch having a nose, a springhaving two corrugations, and acoupling between said switchand the mainshaft.

8. In a type-writing machine, the 'combina tion, with the driving-power,of a main shaft, two spool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven bysaid main shaft, two ribbon-spools capable of turning with their shaftsand also of sliding endwise of the same, an inkingribbon, a pair ofslides connected to each other and to the ribbon-spools, two racks onone of said slides, a spring-check for said slide, a duplex pawl, and aswitch connected to the main shaft.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the driving-power,of a main shaft connected thereto and revolved thereby, two spool-shaftsadapted to be alternately driven by said main shaft,two ribbon-spools,an inking-ribbon, a slide connected to the inkingribbon, and means,substantially as described, connected to the main shaftfor imparting tosaid slide a step-by-step movement upon endwise movements of the mainshaft.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the drivingpower,of a main shaft connected thereto and capable of endwise movements, twospool-shafts adapted to be alternately driven by said main shaft, tworibbon-spools, an-inking-ribbon, a slide connected to the inking-ribbon,a rack on said slide, a pawl for driving said rack, and a switchcarrying said pawl and connected to the endwise-movable main shaft.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 18th dayof June, A. D. 1891..

GEORGE l3. WEI-3].

\Vitnesses:

II. D. DONNELLY, .Tacon FELnEL.

